Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An opinion or a doctrine at variance with established religious beliefs, especially dissension from or denial of Roman Catholic dogma by a professed believer or baptized church member.
  • noun Adherence to such dissenting opinion or doctrine.
  • noun A controversial or unorthodox opinion or doctrine, as in politics, philosophy, or science.
  • noun Adherence to such controversial or unorthodox opinion.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Any doctrine, opinion, or set of opinions at variance with the established standards of any system, school of thought, or party; an opinion or a doctrine tending to create schism or division; an untenable or a disturbing doctrine of any kind, as in philosophy, science, politics, morality, etc.
  • noun Specifically, in theology, an opinion or a doctrine rejected by the authorities of a church as contrary to the established creed of that church; an interpretation or a theological view of a sacred writing or other standard of religion, or of any distinctive part of it, opposed to that authoritatively established or generally accepted: as, the antinomian heresy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An opinion held in opposition to the established or commonly received doctrine, and tending to promote a division or party, as in politics, literature, philosophy, etc.; -- usually, but not necessarily, said in reproach.
  • noun (Theol.) Religious opinion opposed to the authorized doctrinal standards of any particular church, especially when tending to promote schism or separation; lack of orthodox or sound belief; rejection of, or erroneous belief in regard to, some fundamental religious doctrine or truth; heterodoxy.
  • noun (Law) An offense against Christianity, consisting in a denial of some essential doctrine, which denial is publicly avowed, and obstinately maintained.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun religion A doctrine held by a member of a religion at variance with established religious beliefs, especially dissension from Roman Catholic dogma.
  • noun A controversial or unorthodox opinion held by a member of a group, as in politics, philosophy or science.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
  • noun any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English heresie, from Old French, from Late Latin haeresis, from Late Greek hairesis, from Greek, a choosing, faction, from haireisthai, to choose, middle voice of hairein, to take.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French heresie (modern hérésie), from Latin haeresis, from Ancient Greek αἵρεσις (hairesis, "choice, system of principles"), from αἱρέομαι (haireomai, "to take for one’s self, to choose"), the middle voice of αἱρέω (haireō, "to take").

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Examples

  • I think the term heresy should be retained, but only used in instances of doctrine that clearly attacks the nature of God, of Christ, or of Salvation, or otherwise directly contradicts plain Scripture.

    The word heresy should go the way of burnings at the stake. - 22 Words 2008

  • In fact, the word heresy originally just meant choice.

    The Templar Revelation Lynn Picknett 2004

  • In fact, the word heresy originally just meant choice.

    The Templar Revelation Lynn Picknett 2004

  • The term heresy connotes, etymologically, both a choice and the thing chosen, the meaning being, however, narrowed to the selection of religious or political doctrines, adhesion to parties in Church or

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 7: Gregory XII-Infallability 1840-1916 1913

  • But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

    Villaraigosa And Nunez Cut And Run - Video Report 2006

  • But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

    Probably Just One Of Those Funny Coincidences 2006

  • But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

    Acts 24. 1999

  • But this I confess to thee that according to the way which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets:

    The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete Anonymous

  • But this I confess to thee that according to the way which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets:

    The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 51: Acts The Challoner Revision

  • But this I confess to thee that according to the way which they call a heresy, so do I serve the Father and my God, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets:

    The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete The Challoner Revision Anonymous

Comments

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  • Includes catharism and gnosticism.

    December 3, 2008

  • G : purvadharana jevu ,, je prove nathi thayu , pan aj sachu chhe am mani ne chalavanu ,like laws , dharmik manyatao.

    March 24, 2013